As the rain began to fall in Cardiff north, the 'silver haired brigade' were undeterred – with a steady flow of voters turning out to have their say in the city's heated two-horse race.

Red and blue-clad party members manning each polling station showed which colours voters in the constituency were thinking about in today's Welsh Assembly election – with Conservative incumbent Jonathan Morgan AM being challenged by Labour's Julie Morgan who is hoping for a return to politics after being pipped to the post by Conservative MP Jonathan Evans by 200 votes in last year's general election after her 13-year run.

Polling stations in Whitchurch and Llandaff North were reporting good turnout figures so far – with roughly 15% at the Llandaff Community Centre and 20% at the Whitchurch Community Centre off Old Church Road.

Conservative support Diane Bridges, 67, who was recording numbers outside the Whitchurch Community Centre, said the voters had mainly been of the elderly generation and she was disappointed by the lack of young people interested in politics. She said:

"It's very much the silver haired brigade out today. I have only seen one or two young people this morning but the elderly people have been out to vote."

Bridges had been stationed in Rhiwbina earlier in the morning, where she said voters had been turning out in the warm sunshine ahead of the drizzle.

"Rhiwbina is quite an affluent area but people saw my blue rosette and were supportive.

"Julie has come back from retirement and it is as if she's being brought out to shuffle things up. But Jonathan is also very well known in the area and a lot of people feel he's done good."

Inside the centre, clerks Danny Driscoll and Stephen Hull said turnout had been steady – with 173 people turning out to vote out of 1,040 (including postal votes).

"We haven't had the peaks we'd normally have," said Hull. "But we'll get the mums after school at 4pm and then the workers after 5pm."

In Llandaff north, the Cardiff north constituency treasurer for Labour, Paul Geoffries, said he was wary of being too confident of Julie's win – following her loss last year by 194 votes.

"It's not good to be too confident in Cardiff north ever. We had a rush of people at around 8am but it's been a bit quiet. Julie's been out campaigning with the megaphone."

Clerks had recorded 125 out of 862 and 112 out of 818 in the polling station so far and said there had been a lull in voters after 10am.

Health and AV top of the agenda for Cardiff north voters

Voters on the streets reflected the fact they known both candidates involved in what is dubbed the 'two horse race'.

But unlike Cardiff west, the Alternative Vote referendum was also a key factor in drawing out the electorate today.

Emma and Will Adams from Llandaff North said they were keen to see the system reformed.

"We're here to vote on the AV," said Emma. "We want to make a change of it because it worked against us last time."

Will, a mental health worker, added that he was keen to see free prescriptions – something many English counterparts envy about living in Wales – scrapped. He said:

"I think we should pay for prescriptions. Here's too many people who just pick up things because it's free. They are making cutbacks when they could be making money by getting rid of free prescriptions. I'd like to see money invested in the front line."

Emma added:

"I hope they do something about the education system too because Wales is down compared to the rest of the UK. We also don't want to be separated from the rest of the UK – we voted against strengthened powers in March."

Emma Smith, 39, a student nurse from Llandaff north said health was still a key issue:

"I was undecided about AV until the last minute – but with the Assembly election here it's closer.

"For me it's a case of because they have got more powers I think it's important to have a different agenda to what's happening in Westminster – with the main thing being health."